Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!The Hollywood Foreign Press is a strange group that really shouldn't have the second biggest award show around, but through marketing and a willingness to get famous people drunk they do. And so we once again bring you the wi...

Mad Max, FTW!All year I've been wondering if the stuck-up world of award givers would actually recognize Mad Max: Fury Road as one of the best movies of the year or ignore it because "action." As the early critics awards have shown i...

Mad Max walks away with other top awardsToday the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association, of which I am a member, revealed its award winners for the past year. Spotlight was named the best picture, but George Miller pulled in the award for best director for Ma...

Shiny, chrome, and the best of 2015!The National Board of Review has named Mad Max: Fury Road the best movie of 2015.
Oh hells yes!
The post-apocalyptic feminist action movie was previously named the best movie of the year by the International Federation of Fil...

With the 2015 Academy Awards come and gone, it's time to focus on the negative stuff...or at least the stuff that's popular to hate rather than actual bad movies. We've got expected "winners" like Michael Bay and lots of hate for Saving Christmas. I've never seen it myself, but was it bad enough to sweep these things?
Full list of winners below.

Jan 22 //
Matthew RazakSelma
I'm not going to talk about the Academy's snubbing here because it's been done to death. Just know that this is probably the best film of the year. While I'd give my vote for an award to Boyhood simply because of the achievement there for sheer emotional power, direction and acting it is definitely Selma. As I said in my review, it isn't just that the movie is fantastic it's that it came out at just the right time. It's message is so spot on and so powerful during year where racial issues have come to the forefront that it's hard to imagine another movie coming out with better timing. If you see one film from last year it should be Selma.
Read our Selma review here.
Guardians of the Galaxy
I was shocked and appalled that both Nick and Alec left Guardians of the Galaxy off their best of list. James Gunn made a science-fiction masterpiece that not only grabbed an audience, propelled an actor to stardom and re-invigorated Marvel's look on film, but also was just too much damn fun to walk away from. It also proved that Marvel's got some serious balls. Taking an completely untested, back burner comic book and blowing it up onto the big screen is a massive risk and it worked. Not just because it had Marvel before it, but because it was damn good. For big movie spectacle you couldn't do any better than Guardians this year and big movie spectacle isn't actually that easy to pull off. This was a great film in a year where many blockbusters failed to meet their potential at all. Transformers, I'm looking at you.
Read our Guardians of the Galaxy review here.
Boyhood
What's left to be said of Boyhood? Should we ramble on about how it's stunningly and perfect captures growing up over the past two decades? Maybe we should just sit in awe of Richard Linklater's audacity to actually film and put this movie together. I'm not sure there's an American male on earth who wouldn't be pulled into this film. If you still think Boyhood's main concept is just a gimmick you need to sit down and watch this film. It is magic on (digital) celluloid.
Read our Boyhood review here.
The Babadook
I've already gushed about why The Babadook is one of the more important films this year in terms of the film industry, but here's why it deserves to be on every top list there is: it's the best horror film to land this year. Actually scary, edge of your seat, care about the characters horror. That's not just rare in a given year, it's rare in the genre itself. It must also be said that Essie Davis' portrayal of a mother cracking under stress would be instantly nominated if this had been in any other genre. It is a flawless performance only ignored because the film it took place in wasn't the right "caliber" of movie to be considered for awards. It is beyond annoying that horror still sits in the corner when so many masterpieces exist in the genre.
Read our The Babadook review here.
Whiplash
Whiplash would be on this list even if the film was just two hours of J.K. Simmons staring at the camera, yelling and throwing things. A masterful performance of scary, yet motivating rage is going to net him an Oscar easily. It isn't just that, however. As Nick pointed out the film is a musical triumph, but what really stand out is just how well it delves into its themes of motivation, influence, inspiration and passion. The film is often said to be very dark, but it's underlying themes deal with what makes us great. I had not expectations for the movie going it and walked out realizing I had seen one of the best films of the year.
Read our Whiplash review here.
Birdman
I am still upset that his is not a Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law movie, but putting my disappointment aside it is very clear that Birdman is a great film despite that. Let's move past the stellar performances and the single shot direction. I'm just going to say one thing: the score. Jazz drumming had quite a year with Whiplash and this score. Antonio Sanchez's score is all drums, and it is possibly one of the most original and perfectly done scores in years. The Academy disqualified it from contention because they're idiots, but you can literally close your eyes and enjoy this film for that drum score alone.
Read our review of Birdman here.
Inherent Vice
You will either love Inherent Vice, hate Inherent Vice or turn Inherent Vice off halfway through. If you're me then you loved it. I'm a sucker for film noirs and Paul Thomas Anderson getting his hands on the genre and then turning it on his head is basically the best thing that has happened since The Big Lebowski. The film itself is a convoluted, over-plotted, hilarious cluster-fuck, but that just makes it all the more brilliant. Of all the movies released this year I will probably rewatch this one more than any other. It is so dense and there is so much to pick up that you just have to.
The Raid 2
Dat final fight scene. If there is a better action director out there than Gareth Evans then the world is near an end because it literally can't get more exciting without everything blowing up. The Raid 2 proves that Edwards can handle anything. Taking the kung fu action of the original and extending it out into an action packed drama that concludes in the greatest fight I've ever seen. This isn't just a must see for fight movie fans it's a must see for everyone ever. In the future we'll look back and ask ourselves why no one could top this film.
Read our The Raid 2 review here.
Edge of Tomorrow
If Edge of Tomorrow is a surprise to you on this list it really shouldn't be. Despite not being the biggest summer blockbuster it is easily the most creative and has basically appeared on everyone's top lists under the "Why the hell didn't you see this?" category. Seriously, why the hell didn't you see this? If it's because you're tired of Tom Cruise it shouldn't be. This is Cruise back on his A game. If it's because it keeps changing its name? OK, valid argument, but I'm telling you no matter what it's called it is still some of the best sci-fi you'll see in a while. A rose by any other name, right?
Read our Edge of Tomorrow review here.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
I actually try to dislike Wes Anderson films. The hipster aesthetics and adherence to his unique visual style just screams to be hated. I can't though and Grand Budapest may be his best film yet. Hearkening back to The Royal Tenenbaums, Grand Budapest is both visually compelling and emotionally stunning. It's definitely Anderson's most adult film. While I could talk endlessly about his framing and direction (he's one of the few auteurs in mainstream cinema) what really stands out about the film is its darker undertones. There's an actual punch to this one and he handles it... well, exactly like you'd expect Wes Anderson too.
The LEGO Movie
I'm not even sure if The LEGO Movie was my favorite animated film of the year (both How to Train Your Dragon 2 and Big Hero 6 were on par), but the complete and total ignoring of it by the academy has my indignation at an all time high. Much like most of the population who hadn't played any of the LEGO videogames, and thus didn't know the writing was sharp and clever, the Academy clearly assumed that because it was a branded film it sucked. If they weren't so busy being racists this would be the clear and final nail that everyone was yelling about. I loved this movie, but my righteous indignation is the reason it makes this list over the two others mentioned.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
How the hell are we not talking about this movie more during awards season? When it came out it was all the buzz, but that was near the beginning of the year and Hollywood has such a short memory. What they should be remembering is that Dawn of the Planet of the Apes wasn't just a technically fantastic movie it was a emotionally powerful one too. Hitting on complex subjects such as inequality, racism, power and fear the movie does what all great sci-fi does and made us look inward. Unlike the first film of this rebooted timeline, which was all that bad, Dawn is an emotional and directorial masterpiece. It turns talking monkeys into social metaphors, and Andy Serkis once again shows us that CGI performance can often be more powerful than anything else we see on screen.
22 Jump Street
With a year pretty devoid of truly legendary comedies I find it hard to believe everyone forgot about 22 Jump Street. Maybe if The Interview hadn't become an international political issue we'd still be talking about it. Not only was 22 Jump Street hilarious it was a needless sequel that actually worked. Bringing back Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, who have some of the most surprising comedic chemistry together ever, the movie was basically the funniest thing all year. I challenge you to find a moment you laughed harder then when Tatum finds out Hill slept with Ice T's daughter. The movie basically took what made the original so great and turned it up to 22.
Read our review for 22 Jump Street here.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
When talking about Guardians of the Galaxy above I may have mentioned that Marvel's style was getting stale so it's a testament that even stale Marvel is in my top 15 for the year. Captain America: The Winter Soldier was everything that is so great and so generic about Marvel all at once. A massive film with repercussions that shook the MCU (unlike Iron Man's latest outing) it was action packed, and full of charm. While it lacked a truly special feeling like the action films on this list I still can't deny it was easily some of the most fun I had in the theater all year. Sure it felt kind of the same, but when it comes to Marvel then they can keep on copy pasting all they want.
Read our Captain America: The Winter Solider review here.
Veronica Mars
Oh look, one of my favorite films is one I Kickstarted. So what? It's my damn list. Fine, Veronica Mars wasn't the best film of the year, but it was definitely one of my favorites. Almost perfectly bringing back the same feel and tone of the TV is actually quite a feat for a movie and this one nailed it. Not to mention it BROUGHT BACK VERONICA MARS! If anything this should be on more top lists simply because of the revolutionary way it came about. I understand why it was forgotten by plenty when discussing the year in film, but its release was actually pretty damn important.
Read our review of Veronica Mars here.

I see too many movies. Here the best so you don't have to.As a person who gets to attend press screenings for almost every major and minor release out there I get to see way too many movies. You're thinking that sounds awesome, but it can be a horrible burden. Do you know how many b...

Eh, yupTo completely offset the Academy Awards nominations from earlier this morning, here we have the opposite end of the spectrum. As usual, the 2015 Razzie noms (narrowed down from the shortlist a bit ago) are really just based o...

Don't everyone get too excited
And we have them! The nominations are in with Birdman and Grand Budapest pulling in the lead with nomination count. A few snubs and a few surprises. How about Whiplash sneaking in for a Best Picture nominations? It...

Looks like a pretty predictable awards seasonAnd here we have it. Well, not really "it." "It" is reserved for the Oscars, but here we have the secondary it: the Golden Globes. More fun, better hosts and more drinking than the Oscars so really a better show. Below you'll...

As awards shows increasingly become more irrelevant, the Razzies are fading away even more so. As negativity is spread so much through social media, most people don't feel like listening to that stuff anymore. Take this short...

Praise be to the silver medalHere we go. Awards season has officially begun. The Golden Globes may not seem like a big awards ceremony anymore, but their set of nominees and winners set the stage for the rest of the season. Big winners and nominees here ...

For the first time I almost fully agreeThe Washington Area Film Critics Association, of which I am a card carrying member, has delivered it's award winners once again this year. I voted of course and I think this year is one of the first where I've overwhelming ag...

Documentary film is awesome, but most people don't rush out to watch it or even have the ability to do that if they wanted. You usually get sucked into a documentary by accident and then you remember how great they can be. So...

The Oscars are coming and that means we'll need to start talking about nominees, but before that we have to discuss the submitted films to be nominated. At least for animated films we need to. There have been 20 submitted, 8 ...

The Academy Awards are a tough sell every year. Each year their relevance continues to fade as more and more folks rely on word of mouth from social media rather than purchasing their movie ticket or DVD based on how many awa...

The Academy Awards have come and gone, and while they were full of pleasant moments (the super selfie, the pizza, Lupita Nyong'o and Matthew McConaughey's speeches), the Razzies also happened but were full of not so pleasant ...

12 Years a Slave wins big, American Hustle shut outThe Academy Awards have once again come and gone. Considering they ran about 30 minutes late it's quite possible you fell asleep before they were over, and since Flixist is your only source of movie news (right?) we thought i...

You, the Flixist editors and a lovely night of awards lovin'
Update: We're live! Toss questions at us in the comments or, you know make fun of us or whatever. Thanks for watching! If you'd like to join us for the Hangout on camera just send your Google+ account email to matthew@...

Mar 01 //
Matthew Razak
Best Picture
What's Going to Win: 12 Years a Salve
It's a tighter race than most this year, but 12 Years a Slave should eek it out. While American Hustle and Gravity both have stellar casts neither is a historical drama or making a cultural statement and the Academy eats both of those things up. The factor is that it's an insanely good movie so it makes sense that it is going to win. It's hard to argue that a movie as striking and powerful as 12 Years a Slave shouldn't win.
What Should Win: Gravity
And yet we will. Gravity is probably one of the most important films of this generation from both a technical and artistic stand point. While it may not ever reach the full emotional power that 12 Years a Slave does, it far outstrips it everywhere else and ushers in a new generation of film making. The Oscars are for awarding great achievements in film making and nothing achieved more than Gravity this year.
Chairs Will Be Thrown Through Windows If: American Hustle wins it. It's unclear why the Academy has such a hard on for this film, but it is far from the best on this list. While a great film full of great performances the gushing over it is too much.
Best Director
Who Will Win: Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)
Since they're most likely not going to give Gravity the Best Picture award they'll give Alfonso Cuarón the Best Director one to make up for it. It's really tough seeing anyone take this from him. While the other directors all did a fantastic job none of them pushed the boundaries of cinema like he did. A combination of guilt for not giving Gravity the Best Picture statue and sheer awe at Gravity will net Alfonso Cuarón an Oscar.
Who Should Win: Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)
Alfonso Cuarón made a movie that redefined what we should expect not only from our science fiction, but from our personal dramas and, possibly most amazingly, from 3D. It takes a great director to tell a great story, but it takes a truly legendary one to tell it in a way that requires completely rethinking how you shoot a movie. Cuarón not only made a great film, he changed film making.
More Chairs Will Be Thrown Through Windows If: Someone else than Cuarón wins and doesn't immediately get on stage and hand the Oscar off to Cuarón in a gesture of contrition because they know that their direction was great, but not as groundbreaking or as important.
Best Actor
Who Will Win: Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)
This one really seems like a lock. Matthew McConaughey's performance in Dallas Buyers Club was spectacular, and it's the kind of serious period piece that the Academy goes nuts over. Plus, he messed his body up hardcore for the part, and that as much as anything else makes for a noteworthy performance that people take notice of. (That's not necessarily a sign that someone will win, but it worked for Christian Bale for The Fighter.)
Who Should Win: Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)
The thing about Matthew McConaughey in 2013 is not that he was amazing in Dallas Buyers Club; it's that he was amazing in everything. The man had a completely incredible year, with awesome performances in Mud and Wolf of Wall Street to boot. (Plus, True Detective was shot last year, so we may as well count that as a 2013 performance, even if it is technically a 2014 show). Since Oscars are periodically given for a body of work, there are arguments to be made that Leonardo DiCaprio should finally have his moment, but in the body of work for 2013, nobody can touch McConaughey. Not even close.
More Chairs Will Be Thrown Through Windows If: Members of the Academy don't give it to Tom Hanks in a surprise upset. Seriously, have you seen Captain Phillips? Those last five minutes feature some of the most mind-blowing acting in the history of acting. How the hell could the Academy not even nominate him? And what about Joaquin Phoenix? The category this year is total bullshit. For real.
Best Actress
Who Will Win: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
Unlike the best actor category where there is a bit of doubt who will win, Cate Blanchett, basically has this in the bag. You could run this vote 1 million times and she'd win it 1 million times. Her performance in Blue Jasmine is transcendent; a thing of acting beauty. If you haven't seen it rent it and prepare to be blown away. In other years the other nominees would be dubbed good performances, but Blanchett's makes all of them look like high school drama dropouts.
Who Should Win: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
Didn't you hear us gushing above? Give Blancett all the Oscars ever. She can keep them in whatever room she keeps her massive acting ability in.
More Chairs Will Be Thrown Through Windows If: Anyone but Cate Blanchett wins, especially Meryl Streep who is just getting Oscar nods for being in movies now. If that happens it will finally drive the last nail into the aging Academy's coffin. The show will literally come to a screeching halt as the building collapses and Academy voters everywhere drop dead from being the most wrong people ever.
Best Supporting Actress
Who Will Win: Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave)
While it's quite possible that Jennifer Lawerence steals this one away for her chameleon like performance in American Hustle the safe money is on Lupita Nyong'o. Lawerence is the closet to winning this, but she won last year and Nyong'o is in a historical film about slavery that probably won't win any other acting awards. She'll be making up for that fact and winning because her performance is amazing.
Who Should Win: Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave)
Lupita Nyong'o probably gave the most harrowing performance of the year in 12 Years a Slave. The whipping scene alone could have netted her this award, but she is powerful throughout the film. While it may be Oscar bait to play in a historical film about slavery, that doesn't mean she didn't knock it out of the park. That scene, and the rest of the movie, work because she makes us connect so well with her character.
More Chairs Will Be Thrown Through Windows If: Julia Roberts gets anywhere near an Oscar. We're not sure why August: Osage County netted two acting nominations, but the Streep one is at least explainable. Robert's performance in the film is out shined by so many others this year that it just seems like they threw her in here because no one had seen any other movies with supporting actresses. It's both a sad commentary on roles for women and on the Academy itself.
Best Supporting Actor
Who Will Win: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)
First you put on a lot of makeup. Then you play an oppressed segment of the population. Then you win an Oscar. Jared Leto checked off the Oscar winning boxes and turned in a stunning performance so he stands to reason he's going to win. Jonah Hill still has the comedy stigma attached to him and no one can read Barkhad Abdi name, which is sadly a disqualification for many Academy members.
Who Should Win: Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips)
This guy was driving a taxi in the middle of the U.S. before he got this part and he went toe-to-toe with Tom Hanks. I mean come on. Even if it wasn't the best performance of the year -- it arguably was -- that has to count for something. You don't just keep up with one of our generation's greatest actors out of nowhere.
More Chairs Will Be Thrown Through Windows If: Leto isn't awesome when accepting his award. Dallas Buyers Club seriously has the two most chill leading men to ever be nominated together. His speech better be as awesome as his hair-bunned one at the Golden Globes.
Best Original Screenplay
What Will Win: Her
This is probably Her's only chance to win and the Academy will most likely recognize that, though they could also easily not recognize it and give it to American Hustle. While Her was a better scripted film, Hustle has far more cache and speed coming into the Oscars. It's really 50/50 between these two even though...
What Should Win: Her
Her should win this easily. It's one of the best constructed screenplays we've seen in years, perfectly building its characters and world up as the film unfolds. And it does this all with only a few actors, one of whom isn't on the screen ever. It's a clever, touching and enthralling story that actually can be called original (you know like in the award's name: BestOriginal Screenplay). For that alone it should really get this.
More Chairs Will Be Thrown Through Windows If: I'm not sure where we'll find enough chairs to throw if Woody Allen wins this in some show of solidarity after all the crap that's been heaped onto his name in the past few months. Blue Jasmine doesn't deserve it in the first place and the guy doesn't even show up to awards shows.
Best Adapted Screenplay
What Will Win: 12 Years a Slave
12 Years a Slave is going to have a deservedly good night tomorrow night. It will be showered with awards, many of which it will deserve. But there will be one award it doesn't deserve: this one. John Ridley's script is excellent, but it was not the best of the year. It will win because, as we've said before, historical dramas pull in votes like hippos eating white marbles.
What Should Win: Before Midnight
This shouldn't even be a question. Richard Linklater's brilliant Before trilogy live and die by their spectacular writing and performances. Both Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy should have been nominated for their performances, and the screenplay that the three of them put together is unmatched except, perhaps, by its predecessor (and even that's questionable).
More Chairs Will Be Thrown Through Windows If: The Academy continues to pretend like Before Midnight is not the second best film of the year and keep on snubbing it.
Best Cinematography
What Will Win: Gravity
This one is all-but-guaranteed. It's a gorgeous movie and a technical marvel, with its long tracking shots and beautiful 3D visuals that stand so far above the competition that everybody else may as well not even show up.
What Should Win: Not Gravity
Because the majority of those spectacular visuals and 100% of the 3D effects were done on a computer in the years that followed the actual shoot. Cuarón unquestionably deserves the Director award because of what his vision pulled off, but Gravity should be winning the VFX award (which, of course, it will), not the cinematography one.
More Chairs Will Be Thrown Through Windows If: Gravity wins. Roger Deakins was robbed last year by the equally undeserving Life of Pi, and this year others who work in the real world and don't have the luxury of being able to create a world almost from scratch will be robbed as well. Inside Llewyn Davis should get it, if only as a token for not nominating it for everything else.
Best Animated Film
What Will Win: Frozen
Disney is back, bitches. That alone will pull Frozen an academy award. After years of giving this thing to Pixar there's finally no Pixar to give the thing to and Disney finally nailed it again. It is easily one of the best animated films in a long while and a spot where the Academy can actually line up with popular opinion and box office. Miracles do happen!
What Should Win: The Wind Rises
While flawed in ways, Hayao Miyazaki's final film is a swan song, love letter, bio-pic, social commentary and goodbye all wrapped up into one stunningly gorgeous film. If you want to see animated movies take on more than princesses and fantasy this is what you want to champion to win. It's not just touching, it's meaningful and relevant, and while Miyazaki already has an Oscar for Spirited Away one as he hits the road recognizing his contributions to animation is deserved.
More Chairs Will Be Thrown Through Windows If: Anything but Frozen or The Wind Rises wins. The rest of these nominations are just filler to make it look like the Academy actually cares about animated film and isn't so antiquated that they still think it's all kids stuff. That is, of course, utter crap or they'd nominate more animated films for Best Picture and more independent animation for Best Animated.
Best Original Song
What's Going to Win: "Let It Go" (Frozen)
And deservedly so. Idina Menzel is God's gift to man, so it's about damn time she gets her due. Even with a home video release on the horizon, Frozen remains in the top ten box office performances every week. The song itself has spawned several viral videos and interpretations, and within the span of a few minutes, manages to invoke everything we used to love about Disney Animation back in its prime. Idina Menzel. So good.
What Should Win: "The Moon Song" (Her)
While Pharell's "Happy" will get its due in short time as it climbs the Billboard chart, Karen O's "The Moon Song" only has this shot in the spotlight. Bafflingly gone without a Golden Globe nomination, "The Moon Song" is quiet, methodical, and damn wonderful. It should take the Oscar win just by the very nature of its existence.
More Chairs Will Be Thrown Through Windows If: Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom's"Ordinary Love" wins. Because f**k Bono. Honestly, we wish we had more of a critic worthy reason that this shouldn't win, but we're still pissed off it took the Golden Globe. It has that whole "won because we want to see Bono" vibe and uggggggggggghhhhhhh Frozenwas robbed. We're happy with any of the other nominations taking the title, but we swear to Tanktop Jesus if "Ordinary Love" wins this, we're burning this effigy of Bono Nick made yesterday.

We don't get things wrong. The Academy does.Looking back over the years at our Oscar predictions its almost scary how often we're right. In fact we're right all the time. Some times the Academy might make the wrong choice, but feel safe in knowing that our Oscar predic...

Hello gentle readers of Flixist! Did you know that the 2014 Academy Awards is this weekend!? I sure forgot. What do you guys and girls think? Are you surprised by some of the nominees? (*cough cough* Lone Ranger *cough*) Are ...

Watch it live or just read what we wrote afterward
And here they are. The real contenders for the real awards... that just don't matter anymore. In all honesty the Oscars are a great bit of fun, but we aren't expecting too many surprises this year. I don't think American Hus...

The winners as they come because you may not own a televisionAnd here come the Golden Globes! Right now we're watching the entirely useless red carpet where we get to see Jennifer Lawrence be charming and everyone else try to be interesting -- at least they have a decent crew out there...

Five non-musical/comedies are nominated for Best Musical or ComedyAnd the big guns are fired. The Golden Globes have announced their nominees setting us up for endless debate of what deserves to be there and what doesn't. What surprises are there? Well, how about five non-comedy/musical mov...

It's getting to be that time of year! Awards season is coming upon us and the early nominations award nominations are in. The Independent Spirit Awards are kind of the indy Oscars, but everyone gets drunk and actually has fun...

It's that time of year again, folks. It's the time of year where the bigwig films are all vying for an Academy Award nomination. It's going to be an interesting year given the amount of spectacular films that debuted this yea...

At the beginning of every screening at the New York Asian Film Festival, the good folks at Subway Cinema handed out little slips of paper with ratings of 1-5 on them, ranging from "Worst Film Ever" to "Awesome." At the end, t...

While this isn't a big deal to most of you (since I assume Flixist readers are part of a cool motorcycle gang that terrorizes a single small town once a year), the cast of Pitch Perfect (minus Anna Kendrick and Adam Devine) ...

Mar 05 //
Matthew Razak
There's something special about a movie that can create controversy, stir discussion and still be frickin awesome to watch. Django Unchained did all that and it did it really, incredibly well. From our introduction to to Christoph Walt'z Dr. King Schultz to the glorious, bloody shootout at the conclusion of the film Django is both a love letter to westerns, a pastiche of that same genre and one of the best written film of the year. But it's not really all that that made it the best movie of the year. It's the fact that Quentin Tarantino is so obviously a movie nerd in everything he does with his films. Yes, this is a great movie, but the reason we really love it is because it was made by someone who is pretty much exactly like us.
Then again we love this year's other nominees as well, and we're all pretty sure that Amour was made by someone nothing like us. Still, a powerful story like that so masterfully handled on screen can't be ignored. Neither can the likes of The Master, which delivered not only the best performance of the year, but one of the most stunningly crafted character pieces ever put to film. Of course we'd be remiss if we didn't include Argo on the list, and though we found it flawed, it's thrilling story and impeccable pacing make it a movie worthy of being noted in the top lists of every film lover. Finally, we have Skyfall, which you wouldn't believe was a Bond film if I described it to you simply by its qualifications: well written, crisply directed, brilliantly acted and stunningly shot.
Truly, 2012 was a good year to watch movies.
AmourThe MasterSkyfallArgo

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Feb 25 //
Matthew Razak
Django Unchained may have stirred up some controversy, but there's one thing no one could argue about: Quentin Tarantino put together an amazingly good movie. From nailing the cast to shooting in his fantastically unique style it stood out. From nods to classic westerns to somehow keeping a very dark film entertaining Tarantino showed us why he's a master of the medium he loves so much. Often his films can feel like he's simply referencing things he's seen, but with Django everything seems somehow fresh while still honoring what came before. Moving past Tarantino's mastery of the homage is his mastery of making violence somehow artistic. There's so much going on in Django that it seems ridiculous to focus on this, but that last shoot out is a gun fight masterpiece. The man is simply a brilliant director. Full Review.
This was one of our closer contests and all five directors definitely deserve some sort of dinosaur statue even if they didn't grab a Golden Pterodactyl. Paul Thomas Anderson especially deserves a bit more attention since The Master disappeared from the radar this awards season other than its actors. Meanwhile, Ben Affleck truly established himself as one of Hollywood's best directors with Argo and Spielberg kept his throne by giving us the powerful, though flawed, Lincoln. We're also pretty sure that Wes Anderson makes the same movie every time, which is fine with us because that movie is awesome and Moonrise Kingdom might be his best version of it.
Wes Anderson - Moonrise KingdomSteven Spielberg - LincolnPaul Thomas Anderson - The MasterBen Affleck - Argo

They have arrived and this is the first oneThe 2012 Flixist Awards (known as the Golden Pterodactyls by those in the know) have arrived. Now that those far less important awards have come and gone, it's time to get down to the ones that really matter. We'll be spendin...

People got a shiny statue!They're over! We stayed up late and watched them all and now we have the winners. If you missed our Google Hangout of the show you can check it out here. You'll learn about statue polishing robot technique, our ability to get...

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Update: And we're live! All dressed up and ready for the Oscars! You can watch the Hangout right here and talk with us in the comments. If you want to join the hangout just let us know and we can invite you.
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Feb 22 //
Matthew RazakBest Picture
What's Going to Win: Argo
Thanks to that Golden Globe win for Best Picture and Best Director along with a slew of other award nabs Argo has gone from somewhat hopeful to big front runner. It's great Oscar fodder since it's based on a true story, political and actually really good. Plus, Ben Affleck's return to glory is one of those Hollywood stories that Hollywood people really like. There's also the fact that he somehow didn't get nominated for best director so Argo should be raking in some pity votes as well.
What Should Win: Les Misérables
It's actually a real tough year to pick one movie above all the rest. Many years you can kind of point to one that really deserves it for a plethora of reasons, but this year it's really hard to choose because there's so many different flavors to select from and we're a bunch of different people. That being said a film the likes of Les Misérables only comes along once in a blue moon. Daringly directed (sometimes to a fault) the movie is a powerhouse and should be recognized for pushing boundries.
More Chairs will be Thrown Through Windows If: Skyfall doesn't get a surprise nomination for that tenth open spot. It's ridiculous it wasn't nominated simply because it's a James Bond film.
Best Director
Who's Going to Win: Stephen Spielberg (Lincoln)
You have to give Stephen Spielberg an Academy Award every so often. It's just one of those things that has to happen. Was Lincoln his best effort ever? Not really, but the man is due an award and it definitely wasn't bad. Plus, it's not going to win best picture so that means people will be giving him the vote to make up for it.
Who Should Win: Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild)
Great directors can take truly inacuous things at turn them into wonder. That's what Benh Zeitlin did with Beasts of the Southern Wild. Not only did he cull an amazing performance out of a child actor, but he created a film that probably couldn't have been made by anyone else. Having your own directorial stamp and that stamp being as good as Zeitlin's is well deserving of an Oscar.
More Chairs will be Thrown Through Windows If: David O. Russel wins. What the hell is he doing on this list? Silver Lining Playbook was a competently directed film with great stars. Competence doesn't get you Academy Award nominations.
Best Actor
Who's Going to Win: Daniel-Day Lewis (Lincoln)
For one thing Daniel-Day Lewis always wins. For another he's absolutely amazing in Lincoln. For a third... no wait, I don't need a third. He's Daniel-Day Lewis, winning Academy Awards is what he does.
Who Should Win: Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)
It's tough to argue that either Lewis or Phoenix gave a better performance, though it could be said that Phoenix's was far more nuanced thanks to the subject matter. The simple fact is they both gave stellar performances and Phoenix should get it because Dainiel-Day Lewis always wins. Phoenix completely transformed himself for the roll and it is simply a stunning performance to watch even if people have soured a bit on the film for some reason.
More Chairs will be Thrown Through Windows If: *puts chair down* Huh, there's actually no reason to be upset by anything in this category. Any of these actors deserve to win. What should we do with this chair? Maybe we'll throw it for Javier Bardem's Best Supporting snub in Skyfall.
Best Supporting Actor
Who's Going to Win: Alan Arkin (Argo)
Argo is going to win every award but the one it wasn't nominated for (Best Director). It swept the Golden Globes, PGAs, SAGs, and WGAs, and everyone loves them some Alan Arkin. Part of me knows he's going to win for "Ar-go f**k yourself," alone. Besides, Alan Arkin is an award magnet.
Who Should Win: Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained)
Django Unchained was a great film, but Waltz's performance elevates it to classic status. He pretty much carries the film by himself. Jamie Foxx was okay, but his lack of lines subdued him in the face of Waltz's commanding presence. And that's what a supporting actor does. They support the main character, elevate the film, and make the entire thing watchable while still backing out of the way for the main actor to do his thing.
More Chairs will be Thrown Through Windows If: Robert De Niro wins. Silver Linings Playbook was good, but no one but the main two actors were Oscar quality. And he better not win based on reputation alone.
Best Supporting Actress
Who's Going to Win: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)
As if the giant publicity push for her to win didn't seal the deal even before the movie came out Anne Hathaway then went ahead and basically reinvented one of the most cliche songs in musical history. She's been dominating awards in the category and there's no reason to think that the Academy is going to steer away from the norm here. Plus, she's got no competition here. Many of the other nominations seem like filler.
Who Should Win: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)
This is one of those rare moments where a brief performance dominates a film. Unlike Judi Dench winning for Shakespeare in Love for ten minutes of screen time, Anne Hathaway's short performance actually rocks the entire film.
More Chairs will be Thrown Through Windows If: Jacki Weaver wins. Did you even know she was in Silver Linings Playbook?
Best Animated Film
What's Going to Win: Brave
Pixar wins Academy Awards even when they're not deserving. Brave wasn't bad, but compared to other films in this category it wasn't that great. The problem is animated film always gets voted on reputation and Brave's closest competitors are a movie involving videogames (the scariest thing to an ancient academy member) and another involving zombies. Unless the voters were all thinking "Let's surprise everyone" this is a lock.
What Should Win: ParaNorman
Smart, fun, touching and gorgeously animated in a style that isn't CGI ParaNorman is the clear winner for anyone that was paying attention to animated movies this year. Let's just forget that it was painstakingly done by hand, and focus on the fact that it was also a really good movie. Sadly, the film didn't even get a Globe nomination so that's telling in how aware people in Hollywood are of it. One of those gems that won't win because people just assumed it shouldn't.
More Chairs will be Thrown Through Windows If: Frankenweenie wins. Seriously, every damn chair we can find through all of the windows. Not that it was bad, but that means an animated horror film could win and ParaNorman didn't.
Best Original Screenplay
What's Going to Win: Django Unchained
Controversy coupled with smarts? Nothing gets Oscar voters votes better than that combination. Of course if you're Quentin Tarantino and you make movies about movies with screenplays that drop references only film buffs would know it doesn't hurt either. Django isn't the definitive winner here, but it's the most likely with Zero Dark Thirty slipping in buzz and nothing else really pushing forward unless Amour pulls an upset.
What Should Win: Django Unchained
Complain about its racial issues and use of the n-word, it's still a wickedly smart screenplay full of fantastic lines and compelling characters. Beyond its western stylings and pop culture nods it's way smarter than you're giving it credit for. Tarantino also deserves another Golden man since he hasn't won since 2005.
More Chairs will be Thrown Through Windows If: Flight wins. Denzel Washington was amazing in Flight, but the screenplay was not. Great performances don't make great sceenplays.
Best Cinematography
Who's Going to Win: Claudio Miranda (Life of Pi)
Life of Pi is a stupidly pretty film and it is all about the visuals and people vote for cinematography that way. This kind of visually striking film is always what pulls academy awards voters in in this category and it shouldn't be any different this year. The film is stunningly shot, but the fact that its a ton of CGI leave something to be desired.
Who Should Win: Roger Deakins (Skyfall)
Roger Deakins has been nominated for an Academy Award 10 times and never won. That only should net him this statue. But the fact that Skyfall was easily one of the best shot movies of the year and had even non-film people talking about cinematography. Sadly because one of his best pieces of work is a Bond film and less visually striking than Life of Pi he probably won't win.
More Chairs will be Thrown Through Windows If: If Skyfall doesn't win. It will literally be an insult to one of cinemas greatest cinematographers and the worst snub of the night.

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RetrofractionDeepwater Horizon was really good! I would probably rate it as my favorite movie this year.DwavenhobbleOh so there's already a narrative in the making that anyone who dislikes Spiderman Homecoming is merely Racist because of Black MJ. Does that mean I can call anyone who disliked Suicide Squad racist now?RetrofractionMy team that I organized and directed won best story in the IFP Phoenix 48 hour short challenge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)RetrofractionI enjoyed the new Star Trek, not the best, but I think it is a very good step in the right direction and is much better than into the darkness.RetrofractionSaw the new Ghost Busters movie, it was pretty good. But I think the humor and the script needed work, it kind of dragged on toward the end.Ckervin[url="http://www.flixist.com/blogs/Ckervin/the-future-is-looking-pretty-rough--220323.phtml"]The future is looking pretty rough[/url] in these films!CkervinWell, this one will be interesting! [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foGraEVNI0s[/youtube] RetrofractionWell super excited to see Hateful Eight sometime soon, but does anyone have and recommendations for some good indie films?imran haiderNiko Nikohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEvXKWv4hwcNieroTesting Quickposts! You can now leave a short note on Flixist about anything, and continue/convert it to a blog later